Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Letterpress

Letterpress printing is a technique that has gone out of favor, but not out of style. The output of a quality letterpress is visually impressive. Each individual letter set and spaced to within fractions of an inch. Imagine doing a whole book like that. Reading would cost a fortune. The type is really something to be appreciated as there is a whole other dimension to a letterpress print than there is to the laser printed copies we see today. To see a craftsman like the man in the video dedicate the time to master such an outdated skill is awesome, especially in these days of e=mail and xerox machines.

Snowflakes

No two are the same. Their formation is determined by the temperature at which they form. There are some various basic shapes like radial arms, plates, and even cylindrical shafts. They take up the familiar six sided shape because of the 120 degree bond found in a water molecule and its interaction with crystalline structure.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Everything you see is fake.

Video and photo editing are everywhere around us. It can be used to smooth over wrinkles, superimpose a background, or just make your average teenage girl feel insecure. People really don't look like those pictures in advertisements, and if you find one that isn't 85% plastic and doesn't need airbrushing, have her shoot me an e-mail. There was a saying back in the 1920's that called a woman 'waterproof' if she didn't need any make-up to be gorgeous. Now, the term would have to be Photoshop-proof which doesn't exactly flow off the tongue. Remember that Beauty is only skin deep and computer modified images won't be seen swaying down the street. It is nice however to see some uses of editing in good fun, like for instance this guy catching sunglasses with his face, or these mashups of fruit and vegetables with animals. Some of these editors are unbelievably good, even starting from a blank sheet they can make realistic looking images. Take for example this photo quality reproduction of an image of Scarlett Johansson.

Back in my day at the pool it was Dr. Pepper and Payday candy bars. The depth charge was called a jack knife and it wasn't Teresa McKee getting soaked, it was the irritable half asleep lifeguards. Mr. Moore, the pool caretaker, was Mr. E and there was always too much chlorine in the pool. Blonde girls would come out of the pool with a nice green tint to their hair and opening your eyes underwater meant that you would need a nap immediately upon returning home. The diving boards were used to hone our quarterbacking skills by throwing nerf footballs at unsuspecting jumpers and no one wore a 'man skin.' The concrete pool deck was used as a towel if you just rolled over a couple times. The 'wait a half hour' rule after eating was constantly broken and touching the bottom at the deep end was a great accomplishment. There was no need to stop by the office because everyone knew that our pool pass was in the box. Nobody ever really swam except to get to the side after jumping off the diving boards and getting kicked out for 15 minutes happened about every 16 minutes.

New and Improved Stereotypes

Brad Neely...

...might be the most twisted/hilarious guy ever. If one person has influenced the slang I currently use, it would be Mr. Neely. You can't watch these animations with any sort of preconceived concept of reality.

Professor Brothers

"I dropped some real flow on the cherriest of all shoes.""The weather had just changed into bullshit.""This eye pastry just kept buying me drinks."

Air Traffic Controllers

Allegedly the German air controllers at Frankfurt Airport are renowned as a short-tempered lot. They, it is alleged, not only expect one to know one's gate parking location, but how to get there without any assistance from them. So it was with some amusement that we (a Pan Am 747) listened to the following exchange between Frankfurt ground control and a British Airways 747, call sign Speedbird 206.

Speedbird 206: "Frankfurt, Speedbird 206 clear of active runway."

Ground: "Speedbird 206. Taxi to gate Alpha One-Seven." The BA 747 pulled onto the main taxiway and slowed to a stop.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Creative Photos

An American Self Portrait

Chris Jordan makes artwork using many small things put together to give a visual representation of American culture. This image is just a fraction of the actual piece which represents the 100+ thousand cans of soda consumed by Americans every 30 seconds.

We could stop drinking so much soda, we could use canvas shopping bags, we could buy a Prius instead of a Denali. In America that is just what we do not. We do diabetes, pollution, and huge carbon footprints. Seeing it in a visual context though made me realize that perhaps this is all getting a little out of control.

Also, maybe don't tell a mobster who proud of his Sicilian heritage, that his ancestors bred with the Moors, making him part black. Christopher Walken will blow your head off because he hasn't killed anyone since 1984.

Monday, April 30, 2007

2008

If only Barry Goldwater was running...

Issues that concern me.

*Personal FreedomNo governmental intrusion on personal freedom, rights, or general carryings on unless there is a reasonable reason to do so. I want the Patriot Act repealed.The Department of Homeland Security should be dismantled and its responsibilities should be separated into the various pre-existing agencies specified for maintaining non-intrusive domestic security. Gun control limited to background checks and automatic assault rifles.

*Education The American system works only when there is an educated populace. Education is more important than anything. As the bodies of information and knowledge continue to vastly increase, we need a population that is ready and able to further this knowledge as a general contribution to the world as a whole. More and higher paid teachers, better learning facilities, and greater accessibility to a collegiate degree.

*Economic OpportunityEncourage the growth of new business. Tax the wealthy to a greater degree than the poor and middle classes regardless of political contribution. Minimal taxes collected to keep a minimally intrusive government running. Government contracts awarded through a highly competitive process and wholly separated from political personal interest. Energy should not be falsely inflated in price. Companies proven to be engaged in predatory economics will be penalized.

*Separation of Church and StateDo not attempt to use political office to further a religious agenda. Do not use religious agenda as a motivation for political decisions. It is acceptable to use religion in regards to your personal morality; it is not acceptable to attempt to infiltrate any branch of government to further any religious cause to any degree.

*ImmigrationKeep America diverse while still maintaining American ideals and culture. The American-Mexican border needs to be regulated much heavier. A national identification card should be required for all citizens to obtain employment or governmental services. Employers of illegal immigrants should be penalized. Forgers of documents for illegal immigrants should be penalized. Birth certificates and Social Security cards should have much greater security and counterfeit protection than they currently possess. Immigrants should demonstrate that they will uphold a mutually beneficial relationship with their new country, and should wholeheartedly identify with American ideals.

*National SecurityA technologically superior and highly mobile military should be kept. Once again, military contracts will be awarded in a highly competitive process and held to their original budget. These contracts should not be extremely lucrative, but should also be lucrative enough to entice great amounts of private interest. Domestic security will be non-invasive and carried out in accordance with established individual rights.

*Environmental IssuesAlternative energy should be given great priority. National Parks should be increased in size and number. Alaska will not be relied on for oil resources of any kind. Greater emphasis on personal alternative energy generation and use. Lower emission rates for automobiles and industry. Clean efficient public transportation more widely implemented and emphasized. Consideration given to other countries to implement lower emission policies.

*Foreign PolicyComplete withdrawal from Iraq. Emphasis on mutually beneficial relationships with other nations. Rebuild relationships along with economic and political ties with Europe. Domestic implementation of alternative energy will reduce reliance on foreign resources and lessen American political interest in the Middle East. Foreign aid based on American interests. Congressionally backed entrance into conflict without exception. No preemptive conflict. Encouragement of domestic manufacturing and superior quality of American products.

*Taxation and GovernmentTaxes should be collected only to keep an efficient minimal government running. Government expenditures should be kept at a minimum but should still be able to cover all expenses necessary to this minimal government. All failing or non-essential governmental programs should be rethought and reimplemented or disbanded. Government employees should be given competitive salaries and demonstrate a high level of competence. Standards for governmental employees should be kept and promotion should be based upon merit instead of seniority.